In addressing the importance of employer-funded paid parental leave in Australia, the Albanese Government will support 500 workplaces to become “family friendly”.
The workplaces will need to meet the National Work and Family Standards to achieve the certification, created by Family Friendly Workplaces (FFW) and supported by UNICEF Australia.
The Government has committed $1.4 million to support the initiative, and build on the more than 78 workplaces already certified since the launch of the FFW in 2021.
It’s part of a broader push from both the government and employers to encourage more men to take paid parental leave.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth (pictured above) has expressed concern about the number of Dads missing out on employer-funded leave, despite more employers now offering paid parental leave. Australia has the second lowest uptake of primary carer leave of developed countries internationally.
“We know that treating parenting as an equal partnership helps to improve gender equality,” she said. “It is important that we have a Paid Parental Leave scheme that supports modern Australian families and that complements other parental leave schemes offered by a growing number of employers.”
The Albanese Government’s recently introduced changes to the paid parental leave scheme include allowing employers to access government-paid leave at the same time as their employer entitlement, as well as provisions to encourage more Dads and partners to access paid parental leave and better share the load.
In the lead-up to World Children’s Day this coming Sunday, UNICEF Australia’s Chief Advocate for Children Nicole Breeze said there is overwhelming research internationally showing how paid parental leave improves the health and well-being of the child and increases development outcomes.
“UNICEF Australia along with our valued partner Parents at Work have been working with companies and organisations to improve family friendly practices in the workplace, including increasing access to PPL,” she said. “As a result of these efforts 315,000 people are currently employed by companies certified as Family Friendly Workplaces.”
FFW founder Emma Walsh notes the link between employers and governments playing a role in introducing and elevating family-friendly policies to ensure workplaces can help all employees to reduce work-life conflicts and reconcile their work and caring responsibilities.
“The evidence is clear,” she said. “Accessible and well-funded paid parental leave is crucial if we want people to stay connected to the workforce, but it’s also vital to support the health and development of children to improve gender equality outcomes.
The Government-funded paid parental leave changes are set to being in July next year, with the number of weeks offered progressively increasing each year.